By Special Request
by sg-1fanintn
Summary: I couldn't think of a title for this story after I wrote it, but since it's in response to a request I was assigned for the 2007 SJ Ficathon at Gateworld, I decided on this name. This was written for RepliCarterje, aka Eve, who wanted, Sam's POV, Sam ass


**BY SPECIAL REQUEST**

_I couldn't think of a title for this story after I wrote it, but since it's in response to a request I was assigned for the 2007 S/J Ficathon at Gateworld, I decided on this name. This was written for RepliCarterje, aka Eve, who wanted, "Sam's POV, Sam ass kicking and a bit of fluff_." _I hope this fits the bill._

"When will Cam learn to keep his big mouth shut?" Sam thought to herself, glaring at her teammate across the floor of the Al'kesh chamber where they had been locked up. "If he hadn't mouthed off, we might be back at the SGC getting reinforcements now. But no…he had to play macho guy." She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, rerunning the events of the last hour over in her mind.

SG-1 had been on P3X-274 negotiating for naquadah mining rights when a group of men had arrived at the miners' camp, brandishing weapons and demanding to see the head of the colony. Sam had given the team a signal to move into the background…well, three-fifths of the team. She had no idea who the intruders were, and until they could assess the threat, she thought it would be better to blend in with the group. SG-1 had dressed in native robes to avoid alarming the locals. They weren't hiding their identities, but they knew these people had been terrorized by the Goa'uld for years, and had adopted a strict non-violence policy after the system lords were defeated. Because of that, General Landry had agreed with Sam that meeting them out of uniform was the best approach for a first encounter.

And that brought her back to the ruckus in the camp. While most of the team tried to blend in, Cam took his own approach, pulling his weapon out from under his robe and smarting off at the intruders. That landed him a swift punch in the gut. When the locals saw his weapon, they panicked and told the intruders that the other four were also strangers who might be armed. Next thing they knew, all five members of SG-1 were being hauled to the nearest set of rings, where they were transported to an Al'kesh and thrown into a makeshift cell.

Sam sighed. Since they were on an Al'kesh and there were no Goa'uld around, she assumed the intruders were part of the Lucien Alliance. "Well," she thought, "at least the Lucien Alliance hasn't been too difficult to outsmart in the past." Yes, she'd just use this time to think up a way to get out of here. After all…she had to be in Washington tomorrow to prepare for Friday's IOA meeting.

"Look everyone, I'm sorry…" Cam began, but Vala cut him off.

"You know, even **_I_** got Sam's signal to back off. I would think that you, being an Earthling **_and_** being military, would have gotten it." She turned to Daniel. "Aren't you proud of the things I've learned?"

"Vala, not now…"

"I've always felt that the best defense is a strong offense," Cam said pleadingly.

"Even if it jeopardizes our negotiations?" Daniel hissed. "I doubt those people will want to give us rights to their naquadah now. Of course, at this moment, that's the least of our problems. Right now, they're probably being terrorized by those guys with guns. Teal'c, I think they're Lucien Alliance. Do you agree?"

"I agree with your assessment, DanielJackson." Then, turning to Cam, he continued, "Colonel Mitchell, perhaps it would be better if we all spent this time quietly thinking about a way to get out of this predicament, instead of reviewing the way in which we came to be here. I believe that is what Colonel Carter is attempting to do now, but I'm sure the…**_noise_**…is disturbing her thought processes." The jaffa's tone was even, but his emphasis on the word "noise" was deliberate.

Sam couldn't help it. She gave a small snort, but kept silent and kept her eyes closed. This was so typical of SG-1 these days. She sighed. Despite the unrest among her teammates, she was close to completing her plan.

There was silence in the room for the next few minutes. Then, Sam opened her eyes, stood up, stretched—and turned to address the group. "All right, gang…I think I've figured it out." She fought back a smile at the four upturned faces, all looking to her for guidance. "I don't think we've left planetary orbit, so there's a good chance most of the brain trust of these bandits is down on the planet, trying to take by force what we were attempting to trade. This is probably our best opportunity to try to get out of here."

She moved over to the door panel. "So here's what we're going to do. I'm going to short circuit this panel and open the door. My guess is that they've left a couple of guards on the other side. They'll come rushing in. That'll give Cam the opportunity to channel his energy into a useful purpose by overpowering them." Mitchell opened his mouth to reply, but changed his mind when both Teal'c and Daniel laid a hand on his shoulders.

"What can I do?" Vala asked.

"I have a very important role for you," Sam smiled. "You're the bait."

Daniel chuckled, but tried to make it sound like a cough. He looked up innocently. "What?"

Vala eyed Sam suspiciously. "I think I get it, but what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Just put on a big smile and distract the guards momentarily. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be lined up along the walls, and we'll overtake them as they come in."

"Well, that's the simplest escape plan I've ever heard," Daniel said. Sam shot a stare his way and he continued, "Simple…yet…elegant in its simplicity."

"But it's just so obvious," Cam sounded disbelieving.

"It is often those things which are very obvious that people fail to see," Teal'c said, smiling.

Sam had moved over to the door panel and removed the cover. "This shouldn't take long," she muttered. "Teal'c, why don't you get over here with me? Daniel, Cam…take the other side. And Vala…"

"Oh, I know what to do," Vala beamed, shaking her hair loose from the braids and tying the front of her shirt into a midriff baring top.

"Don't over do," Daniel grumbled. "If this goes well, your performance will only be about three seconds long."

"Ok, guys, everybody into place," Sam spoke slowly as she concentrated on the wires. "We're…just…about…there."

At that moment, the door slid open and two surprised guards turned to see a smiling brunette swaying seductively as she motioned them to come inside. "Hi, boys…."

As they entered, each man got a two-fisted slug to the head from Teal'c and Cam. They fell smoothly, making a satisfying "thud" as they hit the floor. Sam and Daniel quickly grabbed their weapons. "We don't have anything to tie them up, so let me finish shorting this panel out so they'll be stuck in here for awhile," Sam said, tucking the guard's weapon under her arm.

Sam smiled as her work on the box was rewarded with a shower of sparks. The doors started to close, but Teal'c moved forward to stop the motion as the rest of the group went through the opening. Teal'c followed, and the group found themselves in the corridor. "There should be a ring device on this level," he whispered, uncertain of whom they might encounter. He motioned to the others to follow him. Slowly and quietly, they moved down the darkened hallway to another set of doors. Teal'c pushed a set of buttons on the panel and was rewarded when the doors slid open.

"This is too easy," Sam thought to herself, but decided not to question the break. After all, she couldn't remember the last time they actually gotten one. Then, she heard a noise and saw movement out of the corner of her eye. An armed man stepped out of the shadows, just to Sam's side. Reacting by instinct, she swung her body to the left. The man, intent on grabbing Sam, was surprised instead to feel her P-90 make contact with the side of his head. He staggered, and as he tried to regain his balance, Sam gave him a swift kick with her boot. He fell back into a nearby wall and slid slowly toward the floor until he was slumped over and still. She rushed over to check his pulse and turned to the group. "Steady and strong. But he'll have a heck of a headache when he wakes up."

She grinned as she moved away from the man. "Well, the mission hasn't gone so well, but the escape is a classic. Somebody dial us out of here." Teal'c punched in codes to the rings nearest to the Stargate, and moments later, the five were on the planet's surface. Daniel rushed to the DHD and began dialing home. The familiar 'kawoosh' followed, and the five travelers ran up the steps and through the event horizon.

**S&JS&JS&JS&JS&JS&J**

They stumbled through the Stargate at the SGC to find General Landry waiting for them at the base of the ramp. "Welcome back, SG-1. You're overdue. Did you run into problems with the negotiations?"

"You could say that," Daniel muttered, tilting his head toward Mitchell while shooting the General a glance.

Landry noticed the rest of the team was strangely quiet, and Mitchell wasn't meeting his gaze. "Colonel Mitchell, Colonel Carter...would either of you like to tell me more about this mission?"

Sam waited for Cam to start talking. After a moment, he realized she wasn't launching into an explanation of the mission, and he spoke up. "Uh, it's kinda my fault, General," he said sheepishly. "I kinda zigged when I should have zagged."

"We are back to get reinforcements, General," Teal'c said. "The miners with whom we were negotiating have encountered some armed bandits we believe to be the Lucien Alliance. Since theirs is a non-violent society, they will need assistance."

"Hmmm…." Landry looked over the group. He turned toward the glass window behind him. "Sgt. Harriman, put SGs 4, 7 and 14 on alert. Debriefing in one hour for all three with SG-1. The other three teams will leave right after the briefing."

"General, we started this mission, and I feel we need to finish it."

"I don't have all the facts yet, Colonel Mitchell, but I'm getting the distinct impression that those miners might prefer to see someone besides SG-1."

"Sir, I can explain…"

"Debriefing in one hour, Colonel. You can tell me the whole story then," Landry said. "Oh, Colonel Carter, you're dismissed once you've cleared medical."

"Sir?" Sam was confused. "I don't think I've ever been excused from a mission briefing unless I was injured."

"You've been summoned to Washington, Colonel Carter. Something about testifying before the IOA. There's a jet waiting for you at Peterson. It'll take off as soon as you get there."

"I'm supposed to leave for Washington tomorrow, Sir," Sam corrected him.

"Not anymore, Colonel. I was told you need to be there today."

"Where do I report, General?" Sam called out as he turned and started to leave the Gate room.

"You're a bright woman, Colonel," he called back over his shoulder. "You figure it out."

A slow grin spread across her face. "Oh, yeah," she thought to herself. Aloud, she said softly, "D'oh."

**S&JS&JS&JS&JS&JS&J**

It was raining when the jet touched down at Langley. As it taxied into the hangar, Sam stifled a yawn. She was still frustrated about the failed mission, but other SG teams were on the job now. It was time to refocus her thoughts on the IOA meeting, where she would update the panel on the SGC's recent success stories. "I guess I'll have to leave today's mission off the list," she muttered to herself.

As she climbed down from the jet, she heard a car's engine come to a stop. She hopped from the ladder and turned to see that it was a long, black government-issued sedan. "I bet that's your ride, Colonel," said the captain who had flown her to Washington.

Sam extended her hand. "Thanks for the lift, Captain."

He handed her the bag she had brought. "Any time, ma'am."

With a smile, Sam turned to the car to see a young lieutenant in dress blues get out of the driver's side. He quickly walked around the vehicle to open the back passenger side door. He saluted, and she returned the greeting before handing him her bag and sliding into the back seat…where she found she was sharing the ride with…a General, who was reading a report. He glanced up, smiling as she appeared. "Sounds like a rough mission," he said, nodding his head at the report in his hand.

"You could say that," she replied, grinning despite herself. "I thought I was supposed to come in tomorrow so we could prepare for my testimony on Friday."

"Ah," he said, his eyes never leaving hers, "that changed. The IOA is meeting tomorrow instead. Some sort of scheduling conflict with the French delegate. So, we brought you in early. "

"Brilliant plan," she smiled.

"I thought so," he replied, his hand reaching over quickly to clasp hers. "And, Hank called to say that SG-1 needed a little down time to think over what happened on this mission, so…" and his eyes twinkled as he continued, "…you're on stand down for the next week."

"Sweet," she said, breaking into a full-blown smile.

He watched her for a moment. "I've missed that smile," he said softly, just loud enough for her to hear. "I live for that smile."

She blushed, feeling silly for a moment, as her heart beat a little faster and butterflies flew around her stomach. She was trying to think of something to say that wouldn't embarrass her in front of the driver when the car came to a stop.

The driver got out and opened her door. "Thanks, Lt. Sims," she said. "A smooth ride, as always."

"Glad to do it, Colonel," he smiled. In a softer voice, he said, "The General is always in a better mood when you're here."

"Come on, Lieutenant!" the General growled impatiently. "Let's get the Colonel's bag out of the trunk so she can go inside and relax. She's had a tough week."

"On my way, General O'Neill." Sims closed Sam's door and moved to unlock the trunk. Jack quickly grabbed the bag in one hand, his briefcase of reports in the other.

"Colonel, are you coming?" he called to her, already halfway up the steps to the brownstone.

"Right behind you," she replied, as Sims, still grinning, closed the door to the sedan and drove away. By the time she had climbed the steps, Jack already had the door open, had stepped into the foyer and had set the bags on a bench. He waited impatiently as she shut the door, and as she turned, he drew her into his arms.

"I've missed you," he whispered, running one hand up and down her back as he pulled her as close as possible. "This long distance thing sucks."

'I know," she breathed, as one of her hands wound itself into his short, gray hair. "I've missed you too. But I'm still thankful that we're **_able_** to be together, and…"

He cut her off with a kiss that left her breathless. When he finally pulled back to look into her eyes, he gently pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Ya know," he said softly, "this is just like us."

"What?"

"Standing here talking something to death when we could be doing something about it instead."

She giggled, moving a hand to caress his cheek. "So, what you're saying is…"

"Let's get comfortable and spend a little 'quality' time together, Mrs. O'Neill." He released his hold on her, but reached for her hand so he could lead her to their room.

"And my presentation for the IOA?"

"I've already seen the PowerPoint you sent on the secure LAN. It was great. Any other details we can add in the morning. And before you ask, all the takeout menus are in the kitchen, so we can figure out dinner…later." He tossed his jacket on the hook on the back of the bedroom door.

"Seems you've thought of everything," she said, throwing her jacket onto a chair and kicking off her shoes.

"Yes…yes, I have," he grinned, as his shoes joined hers and his tie flew in the general direction of her jacket. "That's why they made me a General, you know."

As the sun set over Washington, two happy people put several weeks of separation behind them and settled in for a very pleasant evening.


End file.
